UPDATE: Stabbing victim remains in critical condition

SANTA CLARITA - Detectives probing the Sunday night stabbing of a man in Newhall suspect the victim’s car was intentionally rammed by that of his attacker, who stabbed him after the collision, according to local sheriff’s officials.

The 25-year-old victim, whose identity has not been disclosed, remained in critical condition at Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital after emergency surgery, said Sgt. Dean Currie of the sheriff’s Career, Offender, Burglary, Robbery Apprehension team.

“We’re going to have to wait a couple of days for our victim to talk to us,” Currie said late Monday afternoon. “The guy had to go through surgery and is now in the (intensive care unit).”

The attacker was still at large late Monday.

Deputy Josh Dubin of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station said the attack occurred about 8:10 p.m. Sunday in the 23600 block of Newhall Avenue.

“Preliminary information has led detectives to believe that once the victim parked his vehicle at the location, a dark-colored, possibly late-1990s-model-year Chevy Impala with two male occupants crashed into the victim’s vehicle,” Dubin said.

“It is possible that this traffic collision was intentional,” he said. “After the traffic collision, one of the male suspects reportedly confronted the victim at the driver’s-side door of the victim’s vehicle.

“The victim was then stabbed. The suspects fled the area in their vehicle and have not yet been located.”

Based on preliminary reports, detectives are investigating what relationship, if any, the victim and the suspects might have, Dubin said. Detectives are unsure yet whether the incident was a case of road rage or was possibly gang-related.